Dollars & Sense

CurveSmart, the revolutionary technology five years in the making, is available at two local Curves studios, in Ocean View and on Route 54 in Williamsville Country Village.

It had become somewhat doubtful over the past year that Delaware would ever have an offshore wind farm. But, in a compromise reached this week, it appears the wind park could be built about 12 miles off the coast of Rehoboth Beach by 2012.

The winds of change may soon be sweeping through Delaware with renewed force.

On Monday, June 23, the powers behind the offshore wind farm - Delmarva Power and Babcock & Brown - announced they had reached an agreement.

Mike Mercer has worked at Counter Source Industries (CSI) for six years, and his wife, Sandy, has worked there for two. Now, they own the store, but they plan to keep things pretty much the same, continuing a successful owner-employee partnership that led them to buy the business.

For less than what you would pay at the grocery store or a commercial produce stand, people can buy fresh vegetables at East View Farm on Bayard Road almost year-round.

For Al Casapula, owning Al Casapula’s Subs, Steaks and Pizza has been a dream come true. Having it become what is has over its 20-year lifespan has been a dream surpassed.

For the past four years, Brian DeLuca has captured the essence of Philadelphia’s eats and has been supplying the shore with thousands of cheesesteaks and subs with Philly’s Finest. This past weekend, he introduced his latest establishment, High Stakes Bar and Grill, right next door to his shop just outside Fenwick Island on Route 54.

I stopped in at the new Harris Teeter grocery store on Route 54 a few weeks ago, for the first time, and picked up a few things on the way home. I was pleased with what I saw and returned to do my regular grocery shopping the following week.

Few things say “summertime at the beach” quite like a fresh bushel of steamed crabs smothered in Old Bay and piping hot corn on the cob, which is precisely what Joe Parsons had in mind when he decided to open Steamers, Millville’s soon-to-be summer hotspot.

For Dana Banks, owner of The Parkway Restaurant in Bethany Beach, the most exciting thing about taking over the Royal Zephyr restaurant in Ocean View is the fact that she’ll be able to cook like she cooks at home.

When you’re one of the most recognized and acclaimed breweries and restaurants in the state, you’re bound to turn some heads. When your beer is awarded high honors among nearly 3,000 others hailing from 646 breweries that span 58 countries, you’ve got a gift.

The South Coastal Health Campus, Beebe Medical Center’s newest project, set to cater health care advantages and convenience to patients in the lower Sussex region, received a financial boost from the Freeman Foundation this week in the form of $250,000.

With half of April already gone, many of the area’s restaurants are opening up again and looking forward to the 2008 summer season.

On Thursday, May 22, the Indian River School District will host a current-expense referendum for the purpose of generating additional local funding for operating expenses, salaries and the implementation of full-day kindergarten.

It would be difficult to find anyone familiar with the Delaware resort area who has never seen or heard of Rhodes 5&10 — the all inclusive store on the main strip of Bethany Beach, next to the downtown bank branch. What even those familiar with Rhodes might not know is that the store that has been a local landmark since the spring of 1969 got its start from the social unrest of the 1960s.

With St. Patrick’s Day celebrations fresh on the minds of both the Irish and the Irish-for-the-day, it’s a good bet people riding down Route 26 this past week noticed the bright assortment of green dresses in the window of Ashley’s Bridal.

As they head south on Route 1 through Fenwick Island, the white words “Country Store,” set off by the red barn-like storefront beckon people to come in and check out what all the fuss is about. It takes an equally big sign to stop them from heading for the store’s doors in the winter, when it is traditionally closed.

On Feb. 26, the Delaware River and Bay Authority (DRBA) Commissioners approved a new fare schedule for the Cape May-Lewes Ferry at its monthly meeting held in the James Julian Boardroom at the Authority’s Administrative Complex in New Castle.

New commercial construction has begun in Bethany Beach, with plans to accommodate a few more businesses. By summertime, the owners of the Connor Mall, next to DiFebo’s restaurant, intend to bring a few more stores to Bethany Beach, including Rita’s Water Ice.

Welcome to CoastalPoint.com 2.0! If you’ve visited our Web site in the last few weeks, you’ll already have noticed the appearance of the first phase of months of behind-the-scenes work by our staff on The Point’s Web presence.

The next time local Harley enthusiasts are riding down Route 113, they might consider making a pit stop at the Haus of Trikes, formerly of Ocean City, Md., and convert their bikes to “trikes,” by adding a third wheel.

The Internal Revenue Service is advising taxpayers that in most cases they will not have to do anything extra this year to get the economic stimulus payments beginning in May.

“If you are eligible for a payment, all you have to do is file a 2007 tax return and the IRS will do the rest,” said Acting IRS Commissioner Linda Stiff.

John Himmelberg never thought he would be where he is today — a Washington, D.C., lawyer and Bethany Beach homeowner who represents fruit and vegetable farmers as a farm lobbyist. But when you look at the history, it was kind of in his blood. After all, Himmelberg’s grandmother ran a grocery store in Washington, D.C.

After a five-hour public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 19, the Fenwick Island Board of Adjustments denied five proposed variances requested by Lenape Tribe LLC that would have allowed mixed commercial and residential development, including a projected Starbuck’s with drive-through capabilities, at the corner of Dagsboro Street and Coastal Highway – the site of the former Libby’s family restaurant.

Hit the Deck owners Dustin Shepherd and Kebbie Crout take it easy in their Fenwick Island store.

The Penguin Café now resides where Maui Wowi and the Bethany Beach Diner operated last year.

David Long III and Matt Mitchell, owners of 3-D Tile in Ocean View, strive to make customer service the base of their tile business.

TC Diner will be expanding from their West Ocean City location into Fenwick Island this summer. The new restaurant sits at the corner of Route 1 and Route 54, beside the new Fisher’s Popcorn.

Marco Grimes, co-owner of Made By Hand, stands among many things they have brought to their store from all around the world.

Made By Hand features hand-made items from all over the world. Pictured here is but a small sample of what they offer in the South Bethany store.